Having flown over 7 million miles, I typically avoid American Airlines. However, I had a speaking engagement in Dallas, and given the flight schedules, I was forced to choose American since flying Delta offered no backup flight options. I always prefer having at least one or two backup flights.
I arrived in Dallas (DFW) and waited 30 minutes for my bag, which never arrived. I asked the baggage clerk if he could locate it. He looked it up on his computer and said, “Your bag is no longer in the airport.” I replied, “The bag never came up from the plane.”
At that instant, my cell phone rang. The voice on the other end said, “This is Bruno with American Airlines baggage. Are you traveling through DFW today?” I replied, “I am not going through; I am here in Dallas now, waiting for my bag.”
Bruno then said, “Well, our routing tag got torn off and we didn’t know where to send your bag, but your bag has green duct tape on it with this number, so I thought I would call it before sending it to dead baggage storage.”
I said, “I am standing upstairs in baggage claim here at DFW.” He replied, “Okay, I will send it up.” Three minutes later, he did just that.
Point of the story: Bruno went the extra mile and demonstrated thoughtfulness, kindness, caring, and empathy. We need more people like Bruno, and fewer clients feeling as if they are headed to dead bag storage.
And yes, with your cell # on ugly green duct tape on your bag, NOBODY ever mistakes it for theirs.
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